As siege ends, bus wheels in from Lahore: glad we returned
But the cheer and excitement of visiting relatives in Pakistan, or returning home after a long journey, at the DTC bus terminus next to Ambedkar Nagar Stadium dwindled within seconds as DTC and police officials stepped up the security. "Security is prime concern, particularly after the Mumbai attack last November," said an officer while asking eager relatives to step aside and wait for passengers to come out of the terminus. "No one is allowed to enter without prior permission from the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP)."
The number of passengers in the Delhi-Lahore bus had dwindled after the Mumbai attack, and, an official said, just when the number of bookings was increasing came the Lahore siege on Monday. "The bus from Delhi to Lahore that left this morning has a capacity of 42 and went full — a first in the last couple of months," he added.
According to officials at the terminus booking office, there were 24 passengers on the bus that arrived from Lahore; the bus has a capacity of 39. Officials said the number of bookings were as low as 10 till about 10 days ago.
Salim, 40, a finance professional from Karnataka, who got off the bus accompanied by wife and children, said, "We travel to Pakistan often to get my wife's documents updated regularly. She is from Pakistan. When I took the bus to Lahore last week, there were only 11 passengers. It was nice to see a full bus today as it is always a sign of peace and improvement of relations.
"Till, of course, we heard about the hostage incident in Lahore."
'Glad we returned today' Salim's wife Shaheen said, "I am glad that we came today, and that the incident occurred after our bus had left Lahore. We all have to get back to work in the next two days, and would have got stuck for longer otherwise."
Accompanied by her two brothers Javed and Muid, Saida Anjum was meanwhile waiting for her mother, Razia Begum, to arrive at the terminus. A resident of Ajmeri Gate in the Walled City, she is perturbed by the terror incidents in Pakistan. "We have family in Lahore and my brothers and mother travel frequently. We were slightly worried after we heard about the siege on TV, as the bus starts from Lahore at 6 am and the attack took place around 8 am. Thankfully, ammi is fine," she said, though still worried about Muid's trip to Lahore next week.
Muid and Javed remain hopeful, though. "I have to go for a family function. These things (terror attacks) keep happening — they cannot stop the Delhi-Lahore bus because of an attack. Things will get better," Muid, 35, said.
